bowman



(No Model.)

R. E. MILLER & J. D. BOWMAN.

WIRE REEL. Y

No. 481,306. Patented Aug. 23, 1892.

Witnesses: ll Inventors %4/ M W k may \rv Att0rney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RILEY E. MILLER AND JAMES D. BOWMAN, OF COLLEGE CORNER, OHIO; SAID BOWVMAN ASSIGNOR TO MORTON A. MILLER, OF SAME PLACE.

WIRE-REEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,306, dated August 23, 1892.

Application filed April 15, 1892. Serial No. 429,263- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern; the brake, there being some degree of lost mo- Be it known that we, RILEY E. MILLER and tion at the point where the heel of this lever JAMES D. BOWMAN, of College Corner, Butler engages the brake-levers, so that the lever 14 county, Ohio, haveinvented certain new and may swing somewhat before acting on the useful Improvements in Wire-Reels,of which brake-levers; 15, a small sheave carried in a the following is a specification. stirrup swiveled on the outer end of the lever This invention pertains to improvements in 14, which lever will be hereinafter termed the reels for the use of fence-builders, telegraph wire-lever; 16, a dotted line indicating the linemen, &c. course of the wire on its way from the coil,

IO The improvements will be readily unden the wire turning at the sheave 15, the swivel- 6o stood from the following description, taken in ing of the sheave-stirru p allowing for the wire connection with the accompanying drawings, coming from the opposite side of the reel; 17, in which a bent keeper pivoted at the top of each of Figure 1 is a plan of a reel exemplifying the studs of the spider and presenting an arm I5 our improvements, and Fig. 2 a side elevahorizontally over the coil of wire which. may tion of the same with portions omitted and be upon the reel and presenting an arm vertiwith portions appearing in vertical section in cally at the face of the stud, and 18 the vertithe plane of line a. cal arm of the keeper.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a base-piece; The keepers may be turned so that the arms 20 2, a spindle erected thereon; 3, a spider ar- 18 project horizontally and the other arms ranged to turn on the spindle and support an vertically. In this condition, the studs being ordinary coil of wire; 4, studs projecting upset inwardly far enough to receive the coil Wardly, one from each arm of the spider, and freely, the coil is dropped overthe studs and adapted for sliding adjustment in and out, onto the spider. As the coil goes down it 25 these arms engaging within the coil of wire; turns the arms 18 of the keeper down and 5, a disk mounted for partial rotation at the brings the other arms over the coil and the center of the spider and containing a series keepers cannot be turned back exceptby liftof wrists and forming a multiple crank for ing the entire coil. The horizontal arms of adjusting the studs in and out on the spider; the keepers thus project over the coils and 0 6, links connecting the wrists of the crank prevent upward displacement of the loose with the studs 4 in such manner that as the turns of the wire. When the coil has been crank is turned the studs will be adjusted put in place upon the spider, the crank is outwardly or inwardly; 7, a handle to serve turned to adjust the studs outwardly to fit in turning the crank; 8, a pawl to lock the the coil tightly, and the pawl holds the crank 3 5 crank in adjusted position; 9, a brake rim or in adjusted position. Normally the spring 13 8 5 disk formed on the spider; 10, a brake-strap holds the brake in application and the reel is surrounding the same; 11, a pair of levers not at liberty to turn upon the spindle. The pivoted to the base-piece at their heels and wire leads from the coil off through the eye adapted for opening and closing motion, each inthe outer end of the wire-lever formed by 40 lever engaging an end of the brake-strap, so the sheave, and if the wire be pulled tightly that when the levers close they draw thestrap it will deflect the wire-lever and the heel of to the brake-rim and when they open they rethe lever will act upon one of the brake-lelieve the strap; 12, a stop to limit the inward vers and cause the release of the brake in an motion of the brake-levers; 13, a spring conobvious manner,the employment of twobrake- 45 nected with these brake-levers and tending to levers providing for the lead of the Wire in hold the brake in position of application; 14, either direction from the reel.

a lever pivoted to the base and arranged so We claim as our inventionthat its inner end in swinging to one side or 1. In a wire-reel, the combination, substan the other engages one of the brake-levers and tially as set forth, of a base-piece, a reel jour- 50 tends to open the levers and thereby relieve naled thereon, a brake-wheel attached to the 10 reel, a brake mounted on the base-piece and adapted to engage the brake-wheel, a spring arranged to draw the brake forciby into engagement with the brake-wheel, a lever pivoted to the base-piece and connected with the brake, and an eye in the outer end of said lever for the passage of the wire and so located that the strain of Wire passing from the reel through the eye will move said lever against the strain of said spring and hold th brake away from the brake-wheel.

2. In a wire-reel, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a base-piece, a reel journaled thereon, a brake-wheel on the reel, a brake mounted on the base-piece and arranged for engagement with the brake-wheel, a spring urging said brake forcibly into engagement with the brake-wheel, a lever pivoted upon said base-piece and provided with an eye for the passage of wire on its way from the reel, and a pair of levers forming connections between said first-mentioned lever and said brake and serving, as said first-mentioned lever is brought in either direction from the neutral point, to release the brake from the brake-wheel.

3. In a wire-reel, the combination,substantially as set forth, of a base-piece, areel journaled thereto, a brake-wheel on the reel, a brake arranged to engage with the brakewheel, a pair of levers arranged for opening and closing motion to release and apply the brake, a spring to hold the levers closed, a third lever pivoted to the base-piece and provided with an eye for the passage of wire leaving the reel, and projections on said third lever adapted, as the lever moves in either tially as set forth, of a swiveled spider for the support of a coil of wire, studs projecting from the face thereof at some distance inwardly from the ends of the spider-arms and radially adjustable upon the spider, and mechanism, substantially as described, for simultaneously adjusting all of the studs.

6. In a wire-reel, the comhination,substantially as set forth, of a swiveled spider, studs projecting from the face thereof and adj ustable radially upon the spider, and doublearmed keepers pivoted to the studs and adapted to present arms within and over a coil of wire upon the reel.

7. In a wire-reel, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a spider, an annular series of studs projecting from the face of the spider and radially adjustable thereon, a multiple of cranks mounted at the center of the spider, links connecting the crank-pins of said crank with said studs, and means, substantially as set forth, for moving and securing said multiple crank.

RILEY E. MILLER. JAMES D. BOWMAN.

Witnesses:

T. E. REDDISH, M. PIERSON. 

